Laurel and Hardy's 1918 Model T Ford

The four-door 1918 Model T Ford was used in a number of Laurel and Hardy’s classic comedies, such as Perfect Day, Hog Wild, Towed in a Hole and Big Business.

The Ford model was the most famous car of the 1920s, and a number of big screen comedians including Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd used them in their short films. Laurel and Hardy used them extensively, although many ended up destroyed by the end of the film.

This example is one of the very few that survived. It was purchased by Debbie Reynolds at the famous 1970 MGM sale, during which a number of Hollywood’s most celebrated props and costumes were sold off by the studio.

When Reynolds acquired the vehicle it was up on blocks, as the original wooden wheels had rotted away. Debbie’s father Ray Reynolds restored the car to running condition following the sale, and after further restoration work in 2001 it remains in good working order to this day,

Notable sales

In June 2011 the unique car was offered at the Profiles in History auction of Debbie Reynolds’ memorabilia collection with a pre-sale estimate of $20,000 - $30,000. It was sold for a price of $43,050.